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Wan B, Chen G, Poon ESK, Fung HS, Lau A, Sin SYW. Environmental factors and host sex influence the skin microbiota structure of Hong Kong newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis) in a coldspot of chytridiomycosis in subtropical East Asia. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 38872359 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Chytridiomycosis, an infectious skin disease caused by the chytrid fungi, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans, poses a significant threat to amphibian biodiversity worldwide. Antifungal bacteria found on the skin of chytrid-resistant amphibians could potentially provide defense against chytridiomycosis and lower mortality rates among resistant individuals. The Hong Kong newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis) is native to East Asia, a region suspected to be the origin of chytrids, and has exhibited asymptomatic infection, suggesting a long-term coexistence with the chytrids. Therefore, the skin microbiota of this resistant species warrant investigation, along with other factors that can affect the microbiota. Among the 149 newts sampled in their natural habitats in Hong Kong, China, putative antifungal bacteria were found in all individuals. There were 314 amplicon sequence variants distributed over 25 genera of putative antifungal bacteria; abundant ones included Acinetobacter, Flavobacterium, and Novosphingobium spp. The skin microbiota compositions were strongly influenced by the inter-site geographical distances. Despite inter-site differences, we identified some core skin microbes across sites that could be vital to P. hongkongensis. The dominant cores included the family Comamonadaceae, family Chitinophagaceae, and class Betaproteobacteria. Moreover, habitat elevation and host sex also exhibited significant effects on skin microbiota compositions. The antifungal bacteria found on these newts offer an important resource for conservation against chytridiomycosis, such as developing probiotic treatments for susceptible species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Wan
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Guoling Chen
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Emily Shui Kei Poon
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hon Shing Fung
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Anthony Lau
- Science Unit, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Simon Yung Wa Sin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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2
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Marsh KJ, Bearhop S, Harrison XA. Linking microbiome temporal dynamics to host ecology in the wild. Trends Microbiol 2024:S0966-842X(24)00132-X. [PMID: 38797653 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Ignoring the dynamic nature of microbial communities risks underestimating the power of microbes to impact the health of their hosts. Microbiomes are thought to be important for host fitness, yet the coarse temporal scale and population-level focus of many studies precludes the ability to investigate the importance of among-individual variation in stability and identify the ecological contexts in which this variation matters. Here we briefly summarise current knowledge of temporal dynamics in wild host-associated microbial communities. We then discuss the implications of among-individual variation in microbiota stability and suggest analytical approaches for understanding these patterns. One major requirement is for future studies to conduct individual-level longitudinal analyses, with some systems already well set up for answering these questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty J Marsh
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK.
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - Xavier A Harrison
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK.
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Hartmann AM, McGrath-Blaser SE, Colón-Piñeiro Z, Longo AV. Ontogeny drives shifts in skin bacterial communities in facultatively paedomorphic salamanders. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001399. [PMID: 37815535 PMCID: PMC10634365 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Microbiomes are major determinants of host growth, development and survival. In amphibians, host-associated bacteria in the skin can inhibit pathogen infection, but many processes can influence the structure and composition of the community. Here we quantified the shifts in skin-associated bacteria across developmental stages in the striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), a threatened salamander species with a complex life history and vulnerable to infection by the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and ranavirus. Our analyses show that pre-metamorphic larval and paedomorphic stages share similar bacterial compositions, and that the changes in the microbiome coincided with physiological restructuring during metamorphosis. Newts undergoing metamorphosis exhibited microbiome compositions that were intermediate between paedomorphic and post-metamorphic stages, further supporting the idea that metamorphosis is a major driver of host-associated microbes in amphibians. We did not find support for infection-related disruption of the microbiome, though infection replicates were small for each respective life stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arik M. Hartmann
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | | | - Ana V. Longo
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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4
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Wuerthner VP, Hua J, Hernández‐Gómez O. Life stage and proximity to roads shape the skin microbiota of eastern newts (Notophthalmus viridescens). Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:3954-3965. [PMID: 35355399 PMCID: PMC9790580 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Host-associated microbiomes play an essential role in the health of organisms, including immune system activation, metabolism and energy uptake. It is well established that microbial communities differ depending on the life stage and natural history of the organism. However, the effects of life stage and natural history on microbial communities may also be influenced by human activities. We investigated the effects of amphibian life stage (terrestrial eft vs. aquatic adult) and proximity to roadways on newt skin bacterial communities. We found that the eft and adult life stages differed in bacterial community composition; however, the effects of roads on community composition were more evident in the terrestrial eft stage compared to the aquatic adult stage. Terrestrial efts sampled close to roads possessed richer communities than those living further away from the influence of roads. When accounting for amplicon sequence variants with predicted antifungal capabilities, in the adult life stage, we observed a decrease in anti-fungal bacteria with distance to roads. In contrast, in the eft stage, we found an increase in anti-fungal bacteria with distance to roads. Our results highlight the need to consider the effects of human activities when evaluating how host-associated microbiomes differ across life stages of wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica Hua
- Department of Biological SciencesBinghamton UniversityBinghamtonNY,Department of Forest and Wildlife EcologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWI
| | - Obed Hernández‐Gómez
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy, and ManagementUniversity of California‐BerkeleyBerkeleyCA,Department of Natural Sciences and MathematicsDominican University of CaliforniaSan RafaelCA
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5
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Chytridiomycosis in Asian Amphibians, a Global Resource for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) Research. J Indian Inst Sci 2021; 101:227-241. [PMID: 34092943 PMCID: PMC8171229 DOI: 10.1007/s41745-021-00227-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease affecting amphibians globally and it is caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Chytridiomycosis has caused dramatic declines and even extinctions in wild amphibian populations in Europe, Australia, Central and North America. Spanning over two and a half decades, extensive research has led to discovery of epizootic and enzootic lineages of this pathogen. However, the Bd–amphibian system had garnered less attention in Asia until recently when an ancestral Bd lineage was identified in the Korean peninsula. Amphibians co-exist with the pathogen in Asia, only sub-lethal effects have been documented on hosts. Such regions are ‘coldspots’ of infection and are an important resource to understand the dynamics between the enzootic pathogen—Bd and its obligate host—amphibians. Insights into the biology of infection have provided new knowledge on the multi-faceted interaction of Bd in a hyperdiverse Asian amphibian community. We present the findings and highlight the knowledge gap that exists, and propose the ways to bridge them. We emphasize that chytridiomycosis in Asia is an important wildlife disease and it needs focussed research, as it is a dynamic front of pathogen diversity and virulence.
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Ruthsatz K, Lyra ML, Lambertini C, Belasen AM, Jenkinson TS, da Silva Leite D, Becker CG, Haddad CFB, James TY, Zamudio KR, Toledo LF, Vences M. Skin microbiome correlates with bioclimate and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection intensity in Brazil's Atlantic Forest treefrogs. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22311. [PMID: 33339839 PMCID: PMC7749163 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79130-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In Brazil’s Atlantic Forest (AF) biodiversity conservation is of key importance since the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has led to the rapid loss of amphibian populations here and worldwide. The impact of Bd on amphibians is determined by the host's immune system, of which the skin microbiome is a critical component. The richness and diversity of such cutaneous bacterial communities are known to be shaped by abiotic factors which thus may indirectly modulate host susceptibility to Bd. This study aimed to contribute to understanding the environment-host–pathogen interaction determining skin bacterial communities in 819 treefrogs (Anura: Hylidae and Phyllomedusidae) from 71 species sampled across the AF. We investigated whether abiotic factors influence the bacterial community richness and structure on the amphibian skin. We further tested for an association between skin bacterial community structure and Bd co-occurrence. Our data revealed that temperature, precipitation, and elevation consistently correlate with richness and diversity of the skin microbiome and also predict Bd infection status. Surprisingly, our data suggest a weak but significant positive correlation of Bd infection intensity and bacterial richness. We highlight the prospect of future experimental studies on the impact of changing environmental conditions associated with global change on environment-host–pathogen interactions in the AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Ruthsatz
- Institute of Zoology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany. .,Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 4, 38106, Brunswick, Germany.
| | - Mariana L Lyra
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Depto de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências and Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP), Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carolina Lambertini
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Anat M Belasen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853-2701, USA
| | - Thomas S Jenkinson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Domingos da Silva Leite
- Laboratório de Antígenos Bacterianos II, Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Caixa Postal 6109, Campinas, São Paulo, CEP 13083-862, Brazil
| | - C Guilherme Becker
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35847, USA
| | - Célio F B Haddad
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Depto de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências and Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP), Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Timothy Y James
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Kelly R Zamudio
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853-2701, USA
| | - Luís Felipe Toledo
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Miguel Vences
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 4, 38106, Brunswick, Germany
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Ghosh PN, Brookes LM, Edwards HM, Fisher MC, Jervis P, Kappel D, Sewell TR, Shelton JM, Skelly E, Rhodes JL. Cross-Disciplinary Genomics Approaches to Studying Emerging Fungal Infections. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E315. [PMID: 33260763 PMCID: PMC7761180 DOI: 10.3390/life10120315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging fungal pathogens pose a serious, global and growing threat to food supply systems, wild ecosystems, and human health. However, historic chronic underinvestment in their research has resulted in a limited understanding of their epidemiology relative to bacterial and viral pathogens. Therefore, the untargeted nature of genomics and, more widely, -omics approaches is particularly attractive in addressing the threats posed by and illuminating the biology of these pathogens. Typically, research into plant, human and wildlife mycoses have been largely separated, with limited dialogue between disciplines. However, many serious mycoses facing the world today have common traits irrespective of host species, such as plastic genomes; wide host ranges; large population sizes and an ability to persist outside the host. These commonalities mean that -omics approaches that have been productively applied in one sphere and may also provide important insights in others, where these approaches may have historically been underutilised. In this review, we consider the advances made with genomics approaches in the fields of plant pathology, human medicine and wildlife health and the progress made in linking genomes to other -omics datatypes and sets; we identify the current barriers to linking -omics approaches and how these are being underutilised in each field; and we consider how and which -omics methodologies it is most crucial to build capacity for in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pria N. Ghosh
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Lola M. Brookes
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London NW1 4RY, UK
- Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Herts AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Hannah M. Edwards
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
| | - Matthew C. Fisher
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
| | - Phillip Jervis
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London NW1 4RY, UK
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Dana Kappel
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
| | - Thomas R. Sewell
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
| | - Jennifer M.G. Shelton
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Emily Skelly
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
| | - Johanna L. Rhodes
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, St Mary’s Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; (L.M.B.); (H.M.E.); (M.C.F.); (P.J.); (D.K.); (T.R.S.); (J.M.G.S.); (E.S.); (J.L.R.)
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8
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Yin Z, Sun K, Li A, Sun D, Li Z, Xiao G, Feng J. Changes in the gut microbiota during Asian particolored bat ( Vespertilio sinensis) development. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9003. [PMID: 32435532 PMCID: PMC7227643 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The gut microbiota is closely linked to host development, diet and health and is influenced by both the host and the environment. Although many studies have focused on the dynamics of the gut microbiota during development in captive animals, few studies have focused on the dynamics of the gut microbiota during development in wild animals, especially for the order Chiroptera. Methods In this study, we characterized the gut microbiota of the wild Asian particolored bat (Vespertilio sinensis) from 1 day to 6 weeks after birth. We explored the changes in their gut microbial community compositions, examined possible influencing factors, and predicted the feeding transition period. Results The gut microbiota changed during the development of V. sinensis. The alpha diversity of the bats' gut microbiota gradually increased but did not change significantly from the 1st day to the 4th week after birth; however, the alpha diversity decreased significantly in week 5, then stabilized. The beta diversity differed slightly in weeks 4-6. In week 4, the fecal samples showed the highest diversity in bacterial community composition. Thus, we predicted that the potential feeding transition period for V. sinensis may occur during week 4. Redundancy analysis showed that age and body mass index significantly affected the compositional changes of the gut microbiota in Asian particolored bats. Conclusion The gut microbiota changed during the development of V. sinensis. We suggest that changes in the alpha and beta diversity during week 4 after birth indicate a potential feeding transition, highlighting the importance of diet in the gut microbiota during the development of V. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwei Yin
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.,Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Aoqiang Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Deyi Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhongle Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Guohong Xiao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.,Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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9
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Bernardo-Cravo AP, Schmeller DS, Chatzinotas A, Vredenburg VT, Loyau A. Environmental Factors and Host Microbiomes Shape Host-Pathogen Dynamics. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:616-633. [PMID: 32402837 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms are increasingly recognized as ecosystem-relevant components because they affect the population dynamics of hosts. Functioning at the interface of the host and pathogen, skin and gut microbiomes are vital components of immunity. Recent work reveals a strong influence of biotic and abiotic environmental factors (including the environmental microbiome) on disease dynamics, yet the importance of the host-host microbiome-pathogen-environment interaction has been poorly reflected in theory. We use amphibians and the disease chytridiomycosis caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis to show how interactions between host, host microbiome, pathogen, and the environment all affect disease outcome. Our review provides new perspectives that improve our understanding of disease dynamics and ecology by incorporating environmental factors and microbiomes into disease theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana P Bernardo-Cravo
- ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France; Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dirk S Schmeller
- ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Antonis Chatzinotas
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany; Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Johannisallee 21-23, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Vance T Vredenburg
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Adeline Loyau
- ECOLAB, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France; Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, Stechlin, D-16775, Germany
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10
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Keiser CN, Wantman T, Rebollar EA, Harris RN. Tadpole body size and behaviour alter the social acquisition of a defensive bacterial symbiont. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:191080. [PMID: 31598324 PMCID: PMC6774948 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Individual differences in host phenotypes can generate heterogeneity in the acquisition and transmission of microbes. Although this has become a prominent factor of disease epidemiology, host phenotypic variation might similarly underlie the transmission of microbial symbionts that defend against pathogen infection. Here, we test whether host body size and behaviour influence the social acquisition of a skin bacterium, Janthinobacterium lividum, which in some hosts can confer protection against infection by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the causative agent of the amphibian skin disease chytridiomycosis. We measured body size and boldness (time spent in an open field) of green frog tadpoles and haphazardly constructed groups of six individuals. In some groups, we exposed one individual in each group to J. lividum and, in other groups, we inoculated a patch of aquarium pebbles to J. lividum. After 24 h, we swabbed each individual to estimate the presence of J. lividum on their skin. On average, tadpoles acquired nearly four times more bacteria when housed with an exposed individual compared to those housed with a patch of inoculated substrate. When tadpoles were housed with an exposed group-mate, larger and 'bolder' individuals acquired more bacteria. These data suggest that phenotypically biased acquisition of defensive symbionts might generate biased patterns of mortality from the pathogens against which they protect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl N. Keiser
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Trina Wantman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Eria A. Rebollar
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mor, Mexico
| | - Reid N. Harris
- Amphibian Survival Alliance, London SW7 2HQ, UK
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
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11
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Cotes-Perdomo A, Santodomingo A, Castro LR. Hemogregarine and Rickettsial infection in ticks of toads from northeastern Colombia. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2018; 7:237-242. [PMID: 29988825 PMCID: PMC6032028 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The toads Rhinella spp. are in constant contact with humans and domestic animals and are commonly parasitized by ticks, which are also potential vectors of pathogenic microorganisms, such as apicomplexans and rickettsia. However, little is known about microorganisms associated with toad ticks. In this work, we molecularly evaluated the presence of Rickettsia spp. and hemogregarines in ticks of Rhinella horribilis and R. humboldti in the Colombian Caribbean, finding two different species of Rickettsia: the colombianensi strain and one close to R. bellii. In the case of hemogregarines, since only 18S gene sequences are available, it is difficult to define species and place them correctly in a phylogeny, but most of our samples show a 99% identity with Hemolivia stellata, while others identical to each other seem to form another clade within this genre. All collected ticks were identified as Amblyomma dissimile, representing the first time that H. stellata was recorded in this tick. The prevalence of both microorganisms was very high, which makes it necessary to generate robust phylogenies to clarify their taxonomic diversity and to correctly define their ecological role and pathogenicity, which should be taken into account in amphibian conservation plans and veterinary medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lyda R. Castro
- Grupo de Investigación Evolución, Sistemática y Ecología Molecular (GIESEMOL), Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia
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